Chef de Partie - Cold Kitchen

About the role

Novotel Dubai Al Barsha is looking for an experienced and innovative Chef de Partie (Cold Kitchen) to lead its garde manger station. The role oversees cold kitchen operations, manages a team of culinary professionals and ensures consistent delivery of cold dishes, appetizers and charcuterie that meet guest expectations, while maintaining quality, presentation and food safety.

Key responsibilities

• Lead and supervise the cold kitchen station, ensuring efficient workflow and timely service during all service periods
• Develop, create and refine cold kitchen menus and seasonal specials
• Prepare and execute cold dishes, salads, appetizers, charcuterie and garde manger items with precise, artistic presentation
• Mentor, train and develop junior kitchen staff
• Maintain the station, tools, equipment and ingredients, and monitor food quality, temperature and freshness
• Manage inventory, analyze food costs and optimize ingredient usage
• Enforce food safety, sanitation and hygiene protocols, conduct station audits and train staff
• Collaborate with executive chefs, sous chefs and kitchen team members
• Receive, inspect and store ingredients, manage suppliers and communicate stock needs to management
• Analyze performance metrics, track productivity and implement process improvements
• Stay current with culinary innovations, international cuisines and plating techniques, and support sustainable sourcing

Required profile

• Minimum 3-5 years in a professional cold kitchen or garde manger station, with at least 2 years in a supervisory or lead role
• Fluent English; additional languages are an advantage in Dubai
• Experience in fine dining, upscale restaurants or high-volume hospitality environments
• Physical stamina for long periods standing in a fast-paced kitchen

Required skills

• Cold food preparation: salads, charcuterie, pâtés, terrines and appetizer assembly
• Advanced knife skills and use of kitchen equipment and cold kitchen machinery
• Food safety, sanitation, hygiene and HACCP principles
• Food costing, budgeting and inventory management
• Knife skills, plating and recipe execution